Free educational materials available to teach third graders about livestock

North Union elementary students' visiting New Day Farms through the For Your InFARMation program.

by Callie Wells

Do you know an elementary school teacher? Share Ohio Livestock Coalition’s free educational materials available through the For Your InFARMation program. The program is designed to teach Ohio third graders about the origins of the food they eat every day and about the important role agriculture plays in Ohio’s economy.

Now in its sixth year, OLC’s For Your InFARMation materials support key Ohio academic content standards for social studies, language arts, science and math, and can be downloaded free of charge at www.ForYourInFARMation.com. The materials specifically address one of the new elements of the Ohio academic standards to teach students about how “daily life is influenced by agriculture, industry and natural resources in different communities.”

As part of the curriculum, students are invited to participate in the sixth annual essay writing contest. OLC will award a free, all-expenses-paid field trip to an Ohio livestock farm for the winning essay writers’ entire third-grade class. The submission deadline for the essay contest is Feb.14. Additionally, new lapbook materials and updated smart board lessons are available as part of the curriculum.

Ohio Farm Bureau is member of OLC and assists with funding for the For Your InFARMation program. Help promote these materials by visiting the website to review the materials, encourage third grade teachers to use the materials and to urge their students to participate in the essay writing contest for the opportunity to visit an Ohio livestock farm.